1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to socket connection hardware and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a modular test socket.
2. Background Art
Socket connectors comprise a large number of electrically conductive structures, such as spring probes (“pogo pins”), to provide at least temporary electrical coupling. In a typical use case, a socket couples integrated circuitry, such as a microprocessor unit, to other hardware that is to aid in testing of such circuitry. The hardware may include a tester platform or a printed circuit board (PCB) that provides fan-out of signals to be provided to such a tester platform.
Current socket technologies variously use a single interconnect architecture for all pins of a socket. In the case of testing during high volume manufacturing (HVM), signals to be exchanged by various pins of a test socket have different respective frequencies, voltage ranges, current levels and/or other characteristics. Existing socket design regimes identify the signal which imposes the most limiting constraints and, based on those constraints, determine socket structure that is applied across all pins of the test socket. As successive generations of integrated circuit fabrication continue to scale in size and speed, the testing of integrated circuitry will have to accommodate stricter constraints such as higher frequencies, smaller voltage levels, greater noise sensitivity and/or other the like. As a result, current socket design techniques can be expected to be a source of increased cost in next-generation circuit testing schemes.